Thanks @itsgettingreal17. Her scores were on an official transcript when she requested one for a summer program. I guess I don’t know if they HAVE to be, or if it’s just a default, I could check on that. I’m pretty sure if I recommend taking the Chemistry test again, I will be treated to some kind of intense reaction (pun intended)!!
@canypava What physics has she taken? The physics subject test used to align well with physics B. Since CB split physics B into 1&2 (totally not sure why they did that. Dumb decision from my perspective), both yrs need to be taken to have covered all of the material on the exam. So if she has only taken 1, she needs to commit to studying the second half of what was physics B I’m guessing she might be missing E&M, but that is only a guess.
@TimEnchanter , Thank you for new SAT vs. ACT chart!! Quite a difference from PSAT one.
@canypava - Did she try practice test from College Board SAT II book? My DS starts with that and see where he is and then go to Barron’s and/or Princeton for SAT IIs. He is not planning to take Physics though. He will do Biology on June 4th. He hasn’t started prep though yet!
@canypava, my S just took both the physics C AP tests and the SAT physics test. He is in 2nd year (advanced) physics. He said both were difficult, but the AP test was much harder. He said that the for a couple of questions on the E&M portion of both tests where he just wrote down equations to garner partial credit. The E&M parts were difficult.
@Mom2aphysicsgeek, her HS has honors physics, no AP. So the class covers a broad amount of material that aligns pretty well with the subject test—not sure if they get to everything but not too many gaps, I don’t think. @srk2017, she has not done a practice test yet! She has been doing individual problems but does feel timing might be an issue, so she needs to do that (hopefully this weekend). It’s the same problem all of our kids have, trying to get extra study in amongst regular homework, ECs, etc. Her school isn’t out until mid-June, so no extra time in May to study. @mtrosemom, I don’t what to say, but AAAACCKKK! I guess it’s “good” that the subject test isn’t as hard as AP, but she only has one year of physics. Just like she only had one year of Chem prior the chem test. Thanks for all of your comments! I think she’ll have to try to prep as reasonably hard as she can over the next 3 weeks and give it a go. Although Oct is not a great time for her to take tests due to some heavier EC stuff, she might have to think about it (and stay fresh on physics in the meantime), if she doesn’t do so well.
Question. Is anyone here, with a child currently attending a school that uses CSS PROFILE, been a non traditional family (aka not straightforward) filling it out? Meaning divorce/remarriage, NCP/CP etc. Not so much on the own business or farm part.
I have commented on a couple of threads in the financial aid/scholarship forum but was curious if anyone here had specific insight.
It looks like there are a few versions of Profile, a basic and then one that asks for NCP info. In either case I am wondering if there is a chance in holy heck that the NCP stepparents contribution to college for their child will count towards the EFC/MFC at a meets “need” based school. It can be noted as child support but that seems to have zero impact on NPC’s as best I can tell.
It really sticks in my craw that we can pay for half of a NC child’s tuition but get zero credit for it as a family and the custodial children are then treated as being the only one in college. I get it, I just don’t like it lol. I am finding myself gapped $$ wise at several of the schools on our list after grant/merit when running NPC’s, even if assuming a basic $5500 unsubsidized loan for S17. Annoyingly there is nothing in the middle. Either we are gapped, need the unsubsidized and are still short, or not gapped at all, no unsubsidized loan needed. In some cases it’s a smaller gap, say 6k. Others, it’s ugly. I’ve played around with the stats and there are a couple that could move into ungapped if stats improve enough but for most, it really isn’t going to change.
We’ve had the money talk, (and the worksheets to back it up) that’s not an issue, S is not going to get his heart broken. In fact, I’m digging into this now so we don’t get overly attached to anything over the summer and in fall.
Is it realistic to think that any of the PROFILE schools will adjust grants or consider that there is any need based on the above?
Or, since it is not realistic to even hope for, do I…
- Drop all schools we are gapped at?
- Drop all schools we are gapped at more than xx annually and consider loans for those under that number?
- Keep all schools (once S cuts the list down lol), assuming that the gap ***may*** be reduced for years 3 and 4 when S19 is in school and that the number on "some" might be manageable. This seems risky, though likely to have some impact in many of the scenarios.
- A version of #2 but assume the "pain" is primarily in years 1&2 for S17 and 3&4 for S19. I assume S19's award, whatever that is, would go down once he is the only one in school as we have to file annually, right?
On the positive side, for those that require NCP info…that would only help our case but still…is it worth bothering?
At what point do you guys think a loan is worth it for a certain school and if so, “how much” is it worth? 25k over 4 years? 50? Per kid? Total? More??? I know some think several schools are worth any kind of debt, others see no reason to have any at all. I am definitely debt averse but it’s hard to know where that tipping point of value is and am curious as to what everyone thinks here.
tl;dr PROFILE for non straightforward situations and hope/no hope for adjustments in offers.
TIA 
@canypava, S did say that there were some chemistry-related Q on the SAT physics test and he had difficulty with those (HS chem is next year for him). Hopefully that will be in your D’s favor. S used a Princeton Review book called Cracking the SAT Physics Subject Test, 15th Edition to study. He said that it was pretty good. I’ll let you know in June how it really went!
@eandesmom We are a non-traditional family and won’t get any need based aid, largely due to my income alone, but when D’s father and step-mother’s income is included, at the very few schools that would be merciful (lol) and offer a tad if it were only my income, we would get nothing due to NCP financial info. It sucks because they won’t be contributing a dollar. So we are going with “none of the above” for D and targeting only schools that offer full ride scholarships (automatic and competitive) with full tuition schools being the back-up plan, with the back-up, back-up plan being in-state at full tuition (though D is guaranteed full tuition at a safety she would be very happy to attend), which I can comfortably pay out of present income. I am very debt averse and won’t take on any debt for her undergrad and I am not allowing her to take on any debt either.
In your situation, I’d recommend dropping all schools where the gap is more than you can comfortably pay with some stretching (if you are comfortable stretching at all). I think everyone has to evaluate their personal comfort levels with educational debt. If there is a number that you would be comfortable quickly paying off loans taken out in your name, then you should factor that in as well. So, 1 or 2 would be my recommendation.
By the look of the posts today, you’d think anything less than a 1600 or close on the SAT is a horrible score. I’m so glad my D isn’t on CC. Geez!
@eandesmom Our oldest is at a CSS profile school, but we don’t have other marriages or children to consider. I believe the school asked if we paid tuition for other children, which we do not. We were unhappy with the amount of merit they offered so we asked for more and they gave it. I wouldn’t discount any schools with a reasonable gap until he’s been accepted and you see what they offer. We explained early on to D that it ultimately depended on the merit aid package we received. Remember that the number you’re looking at next spring will go up the following years. Our D has done her part by being an R. A. which covers room and board.
As far as loans go, this is entirely your call. What amount are you comfortable paying for the 10 years after he graduates? Are you many years from retirement or are you an older parent? All of these factor in to how much debt you’re comfortable taking on.
@itsgettingreal17 My dd did read some of the SAT threads tonight. I chuckled listening to some of her comments. My favorite was, “Seriously, you think you need to retake a 1550. Guess that score doesn’t represent a high level of common sense!”
@eandesmom I think I’m with @Agentninetynine on this. If you’ve had ‘the talk’ then S understands finances will limit choices. We need merit. Gotta have it. Our flagship, UIUC, is still expensive (not applying). Probably 50% of the schools D applies to will end up being too expensive b/c she didn’t get one of the higher awards. We also have a couple safeties that she’ll love.
@itsgettingreal17 in our situation the NPC’s are based off of mine, and my husbands (S17’s stepfather’s) income.
NCP Bio dad has no income and while I don’t expect him to fill out paperwork (one would have to know where he is for that to happen) I am pretty sure I have enough documentation for a waiver. He is already garnished by the state, they can’t find him (and are pretty good on the rare occasion he has a job…that $12 comes in handy you know) and the arrears are as much as 4 years full COA at our flagship. I know ad hoc where he is but doubt he’d cooperate as he has likely not filed taxes in years. So…I don’t think that will hurt us.
S will not qualify for full ride anywhere, that is simply not an option, nor is full tuition. The discomfort is not so much in the stretching per-se, it is that I can’t allow S19’s funding to be compromised by stretching for S17. I am comfortable with some debt, (aka the car I didn’t buy either boy…to share), but not a ton especially once combined. My stretching estimate may be conservative but I’d rather err on that side.
@Agentninetynine if I were to do any kind of loans, they’d definitely be paid off long before 10 years, or at least that would be the plan. The ability to do that would of course depend on the size of the loans. To me that total number for both kids combined really can’t exceed 50-60k tops and stay in that 5 year comfortable pay off plan. Not close to retirement, or at least I don’t see that as viable. H would like to retire in 8-10 years, I would say 12 is probably the earliest I could see it for me but you never know. Where I struggles is that all the NPC’s are generally offering something, most based on current stats and some fairly large (though large is relative to tuition price!). Given that, and S’s stats…unless the 2nd college tuition is factored in, it’s hard to imagine a substantially different/better offer. We will be exploring music monies for non majors and that may bridge in a few cases, or at least enough to get it into my debt comfort zone.
Ultimately I suspect I may have to request early reads at schools that will do that. Early days though, just wanting to get in front of limiting as needed now.
When you say you asked for more merit, did you ask or did your child? Unclear how that works.
@2muchquan we’ve had more than the talk. His precalc teacher assigned them a college finance project over winter break. He had to figure out how to pay for school, factoring all of my info, inflation, loan repayment on his end, etc. He knows what it will take and I know how much skin he is willing to have in the game. I am however, not factoring on any income from him as I’d prefer he didn’t “have” to work, at least not first year. It just seems the NPC’s are pretty straightforward so hard to picture much more being offered.
Our flagship (UW…Washington that is lol) is outstanding and affordable and my alma mater. S has zero interest in it. And much as I hate it given those facts, I know it is not the right place for him.
Oh my…I tried reading all the posts that appeared today. WOW! Great to see the activity but boy I missed a lot.
Congrats to all the SAT scorers. It will be interesting to see how these scores shake out for the class of 2017. Son is convinced that new PSAT was easier than old SAT, but he has not taken new SAT so no real way for him to confirm.
RE: Physics subject test content. Wish I could be of help. I leave that to son, who says he will have to teach himself a few topics, but not too deeply??? He has only completed Physics C Mechanics. E&M is for next year.
Then I saw the conversations on quantum mechanics and quantum computing and had no idea they had anything to do with each other. Son’s Christmas list included books titled: Quantum Computing: A Gentle Introduction (Scientific and Engineering Computation) and Quantum Algorithms via Linear Algebra: A Primer. All I know is that both books have quantum in the title. My Amazon emails of suggested purchases are really all over the map.
Good luck to those still slogging through APs.
@eandesmom I love that his pre calc teacher assigned that project. I wonder if my son’s teacher would be willing to do the same. I bet it would open some eyes.
On another note, grandparents and Facebook. Not a good mix. My in-laws made braggy posts about DS’s test scores. I’m horrified and hoping it isn’t to late to get him to delete them. Thank goodness he didn’t tag my S. He would freak. Ugh. 8-|
@jedwards70 ohmyword! Grandparents posted his ACT scores??
My Mom comments on every.single.post. My MIL TYPES EVERY RESPONSE IN ALL CAPS! lol!
Yes, act scores. It is awful! I’m just crossing my fingers that everyone is asleep and not seeing the post. Anyone else with this issue?
@jedwards70 GAH on the grandparents. So very sorry. I could totally see my MIL doing that. Which is why we would never share the scores! I hate all caps.
It was a fabulous project, if not a terribly fun conversation. Or conversations actually, they had them doing mock FAFSA’s, plotting out what type of load they’d take if any, and how to repay it. If you had parents that were paying for the whole thing, you had to “pretend” otherwise.
S completely overstated his “other” costs but I’d rather have him err on that side. I have NO idea how it relates to pre-calc but it was a great life/budgeting exercise and if S19 does not get the same teacher, I’ll make him do it anyway! I saved the worksheets somewhere.
@jedwards70 grandparents love to brag! Or should I say GRANDPARENTS LOVE TO BRAG! Luckily I haven’t had that issue with social media but maybe because they aren’t tha tech savvy. Whew! My step dad always writes in all caps. Quite amusing. But my parents tell all of their friends everything and it can be embarrassing. I feel for you!